Sidewalk paving machine



1967 c. A. CRAYTON 3,335,646

SIDEWALK PAVING MACHINE Filed June 30, 1965 3 Sheets-Sheet l O \ZO/E o II He HO"\ H 'z/fl; |3

INVENTOR.

CHA RL ES A. CRAYTON ATTORNE Y.

g- 15, 1967 c. A. CRAYTON 3,335,646

S IDEWALK PAVING MACHI NE Filed June 30, 1965 3 SheetsSheet 2 INVENTOR. CHARLES A. CRAYTON ATTORNEY.

Aug. 15, 1967 c, CRAYTON 3,335,646

SIDEWALK PAVING MACHINE Filed June 50, 1965 3 Sheets-Sheet 3 INVENTOR.

CHA RL ES A; C'RAYTON United States Patent O 3,335,646 SIDEWALK PAVING MACHINE Charles A. Crayton, 455 North St., Randolph, Mass. 02368 Filed June 30, 1965, Ser. No. 468,278 Claims. (Cl. 94-46) This invention relates to a machine for spreading and compacting road surfacing materials. In particular, it relates to a machine suitable for forming an asphalt sidewalk or trench and including provisions for width adjustment and self-leveling.

Although devices have been hitherto described for spreading and compacting asphalt road surfaces, such prior devices are generally extremely difiicult to properly adjust for differently desired spreading widths. In addition, adjustment of width in prior art machines has usually been hampered by the gumming action of asphalt. Further, it has not been hitherto possible to provide for level adjustment in trench laying and the like.

One object of this invention is to provide an asphalt spreading and compacting machine readily adjustable in spreading width and adapted for self-leveling.

Other objects and advantages of this invention will be apparent from the specification and claims which follow and from the appended drawings wherein:

FIG. 1 is a plan view.

FIG. 2 is a rear elevation with compacting roller partially removed.

FIG. 3 is a right side elevation with side plate partially removed.

FIG. 4 is a right side elevation showing self-leveling modification.

In its most general form, the spreading and compacting machine of this invent-ion comprises a frame, a pair of forward steerable wheels attached to the frame, a receiving chamber on the frame rearward of the wheels and having an open bottom, a screed assembly rearward of the receiving chamber and vertically adjustably supported by a pair of threadable screed support members attached to the frame, and a compacting roller attached to the frame rearward of the screed assembly. The screed assembly comprises main screed supporting transversely moveable screed extensions, each of said extensions having a vertical side wall.

The screed assembly preferably comprises a main screed having a transverse vertical wall, a transverse upper channel on the forward side of said wall, and a manipulable threadable member extending through the wall. The screed extension members are forward of the main screed and have a vertical transverse wall, a transverse rearward protrusion engageable in the upper channel of the main screed and a rearward transverse channel for slidable engagement with the manipulable threadable memher.

In the self-leveling modification a wheel assembly is mounted on the vertical side wall with the screed support member being disconnected. For a trench, wheel assemblies are mounted on both sides, with both screed support members being disconnected.

The embodiment illustrated in the drawings comprises a front, asphalt receiving and depositing chamber or hopper 11 comprising two side plates 11a having open lower cut out sections 11aa, back plates 11c and 11d, which are joined at a top ridge and flare downward and outward, a back wall 111 and a front plate 111;, forming an open top and-a narrower open bottom 11b.

The hopper 11 is joined with side frame plates 14 and 15. A pair of front steerable wheels 12 and 13 are connected to the frame. To the rear of the hopper is a large transverse roller 16 having a wooden top frame 17, a top "ice scraper 18 and a bottom step 19. The axle 16a-b of roller 16 is adjustably vertically positionable in slots 14a in the side frame plates 14 and 15. The asphalt fed into the hopper 11 goes down through the open bottom 11b and sides llaa and fills in the space formed by the screed assembly which is comprised of main screed 24 having a vertical, transverse wall and a bottom transverse flange and two screed extensions 35 and 35a having vertical transverse walls, 41 and 42, bottom transverse flanges and side vertical walls.

Attached to the back wall plate 11 are a pair of bracket plates 20 and 21 which in turn support a pair of screed support assemblies 22 and 23. The assemblies comprise handles 22 and 23 connected to hollow sections 22a and 23a terminating in threaded collars 22b and 23b supported by bearings 22c and 230 mounted on brackets 20 and 21. Threaded into collars 22b and. 23b are support members 22d and 23d. The assemblies 22 and 23 are vertically adjustable and support the main screed 24 by means of yokes 25 and 26 on the screed, with removable pins 27 and 28 connecting to support members 22d and 23d. The assemblies thus permit ready vertical adjustment of the screed assembly.

A transverse plate 29 is welded on top of the main screed 24 and serves as the top guide for the screed extensions 35 and 35a. On the front of the vertical wall of screed 24 is a transverse rail 30 spaced downward from the guide plate 29 so as to permit entry of the rearwardly tapering top rails 39 of the screed extensions 35 and 35a. The screed extensions 35 and 35a, which like the main screed are channel bars having a U-shaped cross section, carry on their rear surfaces upper and lower transverse bent rails 36 and 37 which serve to form a slotted channel 38 suitable for receiving hand-actuable wing bolts 33 and 34 which penetrate through holes 32 in the vertical transverse Wall of the main screed 24 through the slot 38 formed by the rails 36 and 37, and into threadable locking blocks 33a. Tightening the heads of the bolts 33 and 34 serves to draw the screed extensions 35 and 35a towards the main screed 24, causing the tapering end 39 to wedge into position between the guide plate 29 and the rail 30. When the Wing nuts 33 and 34 are loosened from the locking blocks 33a, the top portions 39 easily disengage from the tight fit between plate 29 and rail 30 and thus permit easy lateral adjustment of the extensions 35 and 35a. It should be noted that the bottom surface of the screed extensions are maintained at the same level as the bottom surface of the main screed. The screed extensions are easily adjustable in spite of presence of asphalt and maintain an essentially true level with the main screed.

The self-leveling feature, which is particularly desirable where there are curbs and in trench laying, is accomplished by attaching to the screed extension on screed side plate 41, a wheel 43 by means of a bracket 44 with bolt 46 in slot 47 of plate 41. The wheel 43 is freely rotatable on fixed axle 45. After the wheel is added, the clevis pin 27 is removed disconnecting jack screw 22 so that one side of the entire screed assembly is now supported by the curb wheel 43.

The curb wheel 43 can be either pneumatic, semipneumatic or a steel roller and is vertically adjustable in slot 47. Normally the wheel would be set one-half inch below the bottom of the screed. This would leave the pavement one-half inch higher than the curb while loose. The power roller which follows would then compress it evenly with the curb. In laying a trench pavement, a wheel would be used on each side whereas only one wheel would be needed for maintaining asphalt level with a curb.

It should be noted that asphalt is sticky and that it is this property which has made it difficult to readily adjust screed width in prior art devices. In this invention, all that is needed for extension on any one side is manipulation of the single wing bolt, repositioning and then retightening.

The machine of this invention is particularly useful for continuous deposition and first compacting of asphalt on sidewalks. A typical width roller is five feet. The open hopper is preferably low enough to permit pouring in of wheel barrow loads of hot asphalt. The device is generally towed and can be steered, a chain drive being preferred for steering the front wheels. The machine of this invention does not make any marks that are not readily removed by the power roller. The diameter of the roller is preferably about sixteen inches, the curb wheels about eight inches and the front steering wheels about twelve inches.

Although the steering mechanism is not illustrated, it is to be understood that this invention contemplates any of the conventional steering methods, as for example, chain and sprocket drives. The actual manipulation of the front wheels can be done by a steering wheel or by a manipulable bar, as for example, bar 50 which connects with mechanism not illustrated.

Although the embodiment illustrated discloses a complete receiving chamber for the asphalt, this invention is also applicable to spreading and compacting machines which do not have a receiving chamber but coact with previously deposited asphalt, often referred to as windrows, along the highway surface. Thus, the embodiment as illustrated would omit plate 11e so as to leave an essentially three sided scoop formed by side plates 11a and back plates 11c and 11d.

I claim:

1. In a spreading and compacting machine supporting a screed, the combination of:

(l) a transverse guide plate attached to the top of the screed;

(2) a transverse rail attached to the screed and spaced downward from the guide plate so as to form an upper channel;

(3) a screed extension having a tapering rail engageable in said upper channel and having its bottom surface at the same level as the bottom surface of the main screed; and

(4) means for holding the screed extension in a selected longitudinal position.

2. The device of claim 1 wherein the screed is supported by a pair of vertically adjustable threadable members attached to the frame of the machine.

3. The device of claim 1 wherein the screed is disconnected from the machine on only one side; there being a wheel assembly attached to the screed extension on the disconnected side of the screed.

4. The device of claim 1 wherein the screed has a transverse vertical wall and said holding means comprises a threadable member extending through the wall and engageable with the screed extension.

5. The device of claim 1 wherein the screed is supported by a pair of vertically adjustable threadable members attached to the frame of the machine; the screed being disconnectable from one of said members and having a wheel assembly attached to its screed extension.

References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS 1,581,784 4/1926 Butler 9446 2,142,262 1/1939 Beckham 9444 2,215,455 9/1940 Abernathy 9444 2,258,205 10/1941 Halvorson 9444 2,762,276 9/1956 Mauch 9444 2,888,864 6/1959 Plas 9446 2,954,241 9/1960 Warren 9444 X 3,230,845 1/1966 Mauldin 94-46 JACOB L. NACKENOFF, Primary Examiner. 

1. IN A SPREADING AND COMPRISING MACHINE SUPPORTING A SCREED, THE COMBINATION OF: (1) A TRANSVERSE GUIDE PLATE ATTACHED TO THE TOP OF THE SCREED; (2) A TRANSVERSE RAIL ATTACHED TO THE SCREED AND SPACED DOWNWARD FROM THE GUIDE PLATE SO AS TO FORM AN UPPER CHANNEL; (3) A SCREED EXTENSION HAVING A TAPERING RAIL ENGAGEABLE IN SAID UPPER CHANNEL AND HAVING ITS BOTTOM SURFACE AT THE SAME LEVEL AS THE BOTTOM SURFACE OF THE MAIN SCREED; AND (4) MEANS FOR HOLDING THE SCREED EXTENSION IN A SELECTED LONGITUDINAL POSITION. 